Edrington Grunwald
"The enemies of Civilization are many. We must stand vigilant against the barbarian, the heathen, and the daemonic. Our mission is one of order and peace and, by the Light, we shall succeed." Edrington Wilhelm Grunwald (30 November 2 L.C.) is a member of the Grunwald Family, a group of landowners and merchants with an estate in Southern Elwynn. He served as a soldier in the Stormwind Army, the standing force that defends the Kingdom of Stormwind, which is among one of the member-states of the Grand Alliance. He now governs the colony of Kingsland as its Lord Governor, placing him in command of Kingsland's Colonial Guard. Edrington has also, in his time, helped develop and propose new ideas concerning the use of gunnery alongside traditional means of fighting in warfare. He is the author of the manual and treatise titled ''The Musket Methodology'', which discusses these ideas and their implementation. History Childhood Originating from the borderlands between the Kingdom of Lordaeron and the Kingdom of Gilneas, Edrington had a generally tranquil and positive childhood. Thanks to the reputation his family held in the region, he was able to live a bon vivant ''lifestyle, being raised on a large estate and regularly attending dinners and parties with other members of the Lordaeronian and Gilnean gentry. As a young child, he began a brief apprenticeship at a merchants' guild house within Lordaeron City itself, at the behest of his father, Wilhelm Grunwald. However, his studies were cut short when his family decided to resettle land in Southshore in 8 L.C. Wilhelm, along with his wife Ingrid, lived a simpler life in the coastal town. Having been devastated by the Second War, the Grunwald Family made a name for themselves as landowners. Edrington continued to apprentice as a merchant's assistant for two more years, this time under the direction of his father. In 14 L.C. his family decided to take part in the reconstruction efforts of the Kingdom of Stormwind. Edrington’s father, having made a sizable fortune on land sales in Southshore, believed it to be a suitable opportunity to start anew in a far away land and create even more fortunes for the family. It was at this point as well that the Grunwald Family came upon a young lady that was left orphaned from the fighting that had occurred during the War. Ainsley Reichert, as she is known, was adopted into the family and taken along with the rest of the Grunwald Family south. This was done at the behest of one of Wilhelm's oldest friends, Bernard Reichert, who had passed away a year before the Grunwald Family decided to move down to Stormwind City. Not wanting to leave her daughter alone and with no one to care for her, he asked the Grunwald Family to take her into their care in his will. Edrington was quite excited by this development, and was pleased to have a sibling – even if not of his own family blood. Upon their arrival to Stormwind, the Grunwald Family purchased some land in the southern part of Elwynn Forest, cultivating the earth and raising livestock. This small, humble venture soon turned into a large-scale plantation, filled with paid workers, administrators, and hired guardsmen. With the coin made from the family lands, Edrington was able to afford continued schooling in the capital of Stormwind City. He attended the Royal University of Stormwind, studying the craft of a civil planner. With this, he delved into the academic worlds of mathematics, architecture, and economics. He had also taken a deep interest in history, but this was merely an educational distraction from his academic pressures. By 20 L.C., at eighteen years of age, he had finished his studies with many formal degrees in the fields of Advanced Mathematics, Accountancy, Finance, and Engineering that could attest to his knowledge and skill. Edrington, however, would not have to search for employment long. His father immediately found his work within a new trading guild, known as the Stormwind Trading Company, that had formed during the reconstruction process within the realm. The pay was good, the chance at gaining invaluable experience better. With nothing to dissuade him, Edrington entered the service of the Company as a surveyor and engineer in 21 L.C. In Service to the Company At the age of nineteen, as he just came into the cusp of adulthood, Edrington generally busied himself with contracts pertaining to the construction of trade outposts in exotic lands, far from his home in the lush, green forests of Elwynn. He sailed for months at a time, and would at times have to follow land expeditions over great mountains or over vast, open plains. This rugged life hardened him somewhat, but he mostly stuck to what he knew best: academia. The mercenaries that accompanied the man on his journey often mocked or jeered him, always eager to point out the man's quiet and reserved nature. It was at this point that young Edrington had had enough of such treatment. From there on, he strove to become more out-going and more, for lack of a better word, manly. Yet, he usually fell short. When his caravan or convoy came under attack, he hid himself behind whatever cover he could find and nervously held a dagger in his hands. All in all, his initial time as a surveyor was rewarding in terms of coin, but it left his desires for adventure and greatness unfulfilled. Like all starry-eyed and over-eager young men, he decided to pursue a different path within the Trading Company. He approached his father, requesting that he be transferred to the far-flung reaches of the Company's vast trade empire. In a short span of time, and especially with the recent establishment of the New Horde in Kalimdor, competition was on the rise everywhere. Whether it was with the factions of the west or competitors closer to home, the S.T.C. took no chances in risking the loss of their enterprises abroad. As a result, large armies and navies were organized at the behest of the Crown, which then proceeded to bestow upon the S.T.C. a royal charter. This authorized the Company to represent the economic interests of the realm, and safe-guard them need be. Thus, seeing his opportunity to aspire to the greatness he so craved, Edrington surrendered himself to his wanderlust and enlisted in the Company's merchant marine -- the militant arm which, through diplomacy or force, protected and conquered new lands and resources in the name of the Company and the Crown. The Trade Wars Edrington's time in the armies of the Company were some of the hardest in his life, but he certainly learned a collection of valuable skills nonetheless. His skills as a surveyor and engineer were not forgotten, as he put them to work elsewhere. His interest and understanding of mechanical engineering allowed him to take an interest in the use of a rather volatile, but dangerous weapon: gunnery. Many of the soldiers within the merchant marine favored rifles and pistols, finding them a useful advantage over their enemies. Edrington was no different, as he studied these weapons and trained with them extensively. Beyond firelocks, he also received training in drill, traditional martial arts -- which included typical melee weaponry, and some measure of military tactics. This training would not go in vain, as the Stormwind Trading Company quickly put its armies to good use. Multiple trade wars, small isolated conflicts over the control of resources and land, sprung up everywhere. From the jungles of Stranglethorn Vale, to the deserts of Tanaris, and the waters of the Great Sea, Edrington traveled far and wide. With him, he not only carried his arms and armor, but also newfound skills and, perhaps unfortunately so, prejudices. The S.T.C. often justified its invasion of neutral city-states and settlements as a "civilizing mission" to bring order and justice to far-flung lands, but these were mere excuses to claim the resources and manpower of any given region. As gunboats bombarded independent ports and towns all over Azeroth, Edrington firmly believed in his duty to his nation and his countrymen. After all, even the S.T.C. flew the King's colors over their ships, fluttering in the smoke-choked breeze of battle. The Company's merchant marine were often the first to make landfall, taking beaches along the coast and storming settlements inland. Humans, orcs, trolls, goblins -- none were spared if they dared to hold out or end negotiations with the Company. While the Company espoused honor and civility, they were not afraid to enact retribution for offenses done towards them. Homes burned, people robbed of their possessions, and some violated or slain by blood-thirsty mercenaries. Yet, through it all, Edrington was surprisingly left unscathed, both of body and mind. He was still inexperienced, even if he was well trained and technically adept. The Trade Wars of the S.T.C. were quick and bloodless, but their impact was felt throughout the whole of the nation. Stormwind grew and recovered from the suffering it had undertaken during the Wars, and its influence too spread like the tendrils of a great beast seeking to consume all. By 28 L.C., Edrington's adventures had paid off. Although he had barely fired a shot or raised his sword in aggression towards the Company's foes, he was noted as a loyal soldier and a dedicated employee. In his last years within the Company, he was elevated to a position that would allow for him to undertake his own independent trade missions. Being able to coordinate and control a small network of other merchants beneath him, he quickly began to make a name for himself as a shrewd tradesman and a capable economist. Deciding to combine his knowledge of warfare and military training, Edrington entered into the ever-prosperous arms market, organizing the manufacturing and trade of weapons and armor to those who were willing to pay for it. Yet, the same eagerness and wanderlust that drove him into enlisting within the Company's merchant marine led him down a path of suffering and despair. In 30 L.C., the young merchant had bet many of his hopes on a single, large trade deal with another trader in Stormwind City. The trader represented the Crown, and arms were desperately needed for the ongoing conflict in Pandaria. Committing large portions of his personal fortune, and some loans taken from his father's own pockets, Edrington ordered for a convoy of ships to make its way from Booty Bay to Stormwind City. On those ships were not only tonnes of armor and weapons, but the hopes and dreams of Edrington's greedy dreams. However, the day the ships were due to arrive came, and the convoy never arrived. News reached the capital that the convoy had been lost in a monsoon storm, which Edrington was warned of but disregarded in his haste to meet the contract's deadline. As those ships sunk to the bottom of the Great Sea, so too did Edrington's career and future. He was now bankrupt, and he had dragged his family along with him. A Choice Made Upon hearing news of his failure, the Company immediately moved to have the man be tried for his conduct. Finding him guilty of negligence, he was not only dismissed from the Company, but he was also referred to the Royal Courts for a proper trial. The Courts looked over the man's case, initially prepared to sentence him to hard labor in a debtor's prison. However, Edrington's father, Wilhelm, quickly sought to expend whatever remaining social capital he had. He managed to lessen Edrington's sentence and, at the very least, hold off the hounds at the Company that wished to see him pay for his misdoings. Although his honor as a man was ruined, and his reputation in the Company destroyed, the Crown declared that Edrington was to make a choice. He could either enlist in the King's service and pay his debt through blood or come up with the coin necessary by the end of that month. The crisis in Draenor, after all, had left the kingdom in a troublesome position. They needed competent and skilled soldiers, and Edrington fit the bill. Although he had little to no front-line experience, he already knew the ways of military discipline, conduct, and theoretical knowledge concerning the art of war. Edrington, with some degree of reluctance, chose to enlist in the ranks of the royal army. He sent in his applications, and was eventually assigned to the First Regiment of Westridge, part of the Elwynn Brigade. Although his parents were now in their older years, their fortunes would see them through nicely until the end of their days. The Grunwald Estate showed no signs of stopping in its productivity and wealth, and thus Edrington felt as if he wasn't needed anymore. Furthermore, Edrington's misdoings had nearly ruined the Grunwald name, and thus he carried with him a great deal of shame, wishing to distance himself from the family's business. Ainsley, his adopted sister, comforted Edrington with the promise that she could see after their parents as he went off to go fight in the King's armies. He eventually came to terms with his service within the ranks. Whether it be a hint of patriotism or a want for redemption through blood for his misdoings, Edrington found himself fighting as a footman within the First Regiment. Slowly, he made his way up the ranks, arriving at the rank of sergeant after six months of dedicated service. In that time, he began to accept the possibility of a future within the military, deciding to remain in and forge a career out of it. For King and Country With a chance at redemption given to him, he saw that he was perhaps of better use within the army. Edrington was still able to put to work his knowledge of engineering, mathematics, and architecture by working as a field engineer under the First Regiment's chief engineer Regina Kasteen. Furthermore, his opportunistic nature and technical experience in the use of gunnery led him to obtain the position of spearheading the 31st Battalion of Foot, otherwise known by their moniker of the ''Bridgeport Fusiliers. In his time, he has revitalized and formalized the use of rifle-armed infantry within the First Regiment – a feat he is personally quite proud of. In terms of his experiences on the front, Edrington was finally put through his bloody baptism of fire. His first campaign in Kalimdor, fighting against rogue magi that lingered around the remains of Theramore, was a rocky beginning for him. Yet, he had managed to find a suitable mentor to train him in the practical art of fighting. A tall, burly fellow by the name of Markus Stonewall took a liking to Edrington, and so did he. The two became good friends over the course of their service, with Markus helping harden the newly recruited soldier and Edrington aiding the seasoned veteran with skills such as reading, writing, and academia. Both became well-learned individuals, but in drastically different fields. One learned how to better slay his foe, the other how to better fend for himself off the field. As Edrington continued to make his way through the ranks and battlefields before him, he eventually found himself embroiled in two major wars: the Iron Horde War and the Pirate King's War. He fought on in both, suffering grave wounds and gaining experience through it all. His worst encounter on the front occurred on the foreign world of Draenor, as he fled captivity from the ogres in Frostfire Ridge. For days, he trekked across the frozen mountains before being finally rescued by his close friend, Markus. It was this harrowing experience that would deeply change the man, altering his body and mind into one of a hardened soldier. After his return from Draenor, he dedicated himself towards a future in His Majesty's service. Edrington's character continues to change, be hardened, and suffer from the demands of military service. Regardless, the road ahead of him seems to be paved under banners of gold and blue, fighting on not just for his ideals and homeland but his fellow comrades-in-arms and family back home. Kingsland After a year of service within the First Regiment of Westridge, Edrington and his family were now involved in a venture that would forever change the man's destiny. Edrington's father, Wilhelm, was a member of the Stormwind Trading Company (S.T.C.) and was part of the guild's Board of Masters. The S.T.C. was involved in an effort spearheaded by the Kingdom of Stormwind itself, eager to seize new opportunities created by the lull in the fighting on Draenor after the defeat of the Iron Horde. Stormwind, seeking to take advantage of this tenuous peace, sent an expeditionary force to Stranglethorn Vale in the hopes of carving out a suitable tract of land for future colonization efforts. The Crown had found an opportune location near a large bay and quickly began making plans for settlement of the area by early 626 K.C. The S.T.C. and, by extension, the Grunwald Family found themselves invested in the new colony of Kingsland. Edrington had heard news of the colony through his father, and quickly informed his superiors in the First Regiment that their company may be called up to help defend and bolster the colonization efforts in the south. The warnings came to be true, and in a matter of months the First Regiment and other elements of the Elwynn Brigade were sent down to the Vale to serve as the vanguard for the colonization of the region. Edrington was in the thick of it, leading his fellow soldiers into the fray against a variety of threats, including local troll tribes and naga raiding parties. Tensions ran high, as Kingsland seemed to always be on the precipice of failing. Still, the gentry and the nobility within the House of Nobles, along with the S.T.C. itself, poured in vast amounts of coin and capital to make the colony succeed. Soon, however, Edrington's involvement in the colony went beyond that of military concerns. As Kingsland grew, so too did his connection to the economic growth of the settlement. His family began considering seeking their fortunes in the south, just like they had in Edrington's youth when they left Lordaeron for Stormwind. His family's future now brought him into the fold of private interests once again, and Edrington began to struggle in the balancing act between his military duties and matters of a more mercantile nature. Lord Governor Violence quickly escalated in Kingsland during the summer months, leading to the outset of the short but bloody Midsummer War of 621. In it, forces of Westridge's First Regiment rushed to the defense of the colony, fighting off a savage campaign conducted by the local troll tribes. With the help of the nearby Horde settlement of Grom'gol and some privateers in the region, however, the royalist armies were able to beat back the tribes and, although at a great cost, defend Kingsland Colony. Yet, there was more to this war than met the eye. Behind the scenes, Edrington was involved in political intrigue that threatened to end his career and, furthermore, his own life. The Stormwind Trading Company had depended on him to guard the mercantile interests of the Company in Kingsland, having also been tasked with making sure Westridge's First Regiment remained favorable to the S.T.C. However, Edrington failed at this task, placing him at risk of being revealed as an opportunist, vested in private interests rather than those of the Crown. Furthermore, news reached him that the Company was taking matter into its own hand, with a certain faction within the merchant guild buying mercenaries to bully and harass the other competitors in Kingsland. With this ruse discovered, Edrington quickly allied with the opposing faction within the Company, intent on saving face and bringing down the criminals who would tarnish the Company's name through illegal activities. Towards the end of the conflict, the arrests of those involved in the criminal plot, including the Governor of the Company himself, seemed to be a reality. However, Edrington would have none of it. Over the course of a few weeks, he sent out trusted members of his family's estate, tasking them with ridding him of those who would testify against him in the King's Courts. One by one, the criminal element within the S.T.C. was eliminated, whether through covert means or bloody assassinations. The nature of the killings were, however, done discreetly, with no trace of the Grunwald Family's involvement to be found anywhere. This vigilantism and bout of self-preservation, thus, went unnoticed by the King's authorities. For all intents and purposes, Edrington and his family were cleared of all wrongdoing. What's more, the bankruptcy that had haunted Edrington's past was now all but a distant memory, meaning that he could go forward with a clean record. The officials he had allied with within the newly reformed S.T.C. managed to use what little social capital they had left to grant Edrington one final wish: to help him become the Lord Governor of Kingsland. After a harrowing examination by a House committee, Edrington's qualifications and recommendations (along with some persuasion by interested parties) resulted in him being elected for the governorship of Kingsland. Furthermore, he was tasked with helping raise and command the Kingsland Colonial Guard, a detachment of the greater King's Royal Colonial Guard. This newly made regiment was entrusted with protecting the frontiers of the King's realm, and Edrington was to lead his own troops in the name of King and Country. Now, he stands at the ready, prepared to defend the lands of His Majesty and Her people. Appearance If one word could describe Edrington, it would simply be 'average'. He stands at roughly 5'10, a standard height for most human males. Weighing in at roughly 200lb, he's generally well-built and can handle most physical tasks required of him. Edrington has, in time, been able to strengthen and harden his body through both training and fighting on the field of battle. His features are not something to be lauded over, nor is he necessarily a man of poor looks. His hair is usually neatly trimmed and combed, describable as a dark shade of blond in color. On his face, he sports some facial hair, refraining from growing a full beard in most cases. His eyes are a dark hue of green, with his skin only lightly tanned. His body has begun to show the costs of war, with scars marring his skin in certain places left exposed by his armor. The most noticeable of these are a set of claw marks that run across his face, left there by a savage wolf that attacked him in Frostfire Ridge when he was on campaign there. When it comes to dress, he usually fancies wearing light, comfortable garb when out in public and not on duty. One can usually find the man sporting a tunic, vest, leggings, and boots of sturdy making. A hat may accompany his attire, though not always. When attending formal occasions, he may don a much more stylish doublet coupled with a pair of elegant velvet pants. While on duty, he may be wearing a variety of outfits. Some may find him wearing a simple blue tunic and a pair of suspenders, or perhaps a full suit of plate armor should he be going into battle. A cavalier’s hat, featuring a set of blue and white plumes, symbolizes his role within the King's Royal Colonial Guard. In addition, the man can be frequently seen with an ivory pipe nestled between his lips. He is usually armed, carrying with him at least a longsword or a flintlock pistol. When going into battle, Edrington will favor the use of a rifle, along with a brace of pistols and a sturdy sword to keep his foes at bay. At times, he may even take with him a combination of a spear and a sword, using both adeptly to keep the enemy at a distance whilst he rushes in with the blade for the kill. Personality & Morality Edrington tends to approach life as a whole in a very calculating manner. He mulls things over constantly, can be incredibly self-conscious, and tends to be overly apologetic over his mistakes. However, his time in the military has given the man some spine at least. He is disciplined and well-mannered, both due to his military conduct and his personal upbringing. In general, he tends to be observant and attentive of his surroundings. Having been a merchant as well, he has a good eye when it comes to judging bluffs, one's character, and can be generally persuasive when he tries. However, he'll still fall prey to perhaps taking matters to seriously. It should be of no surprise that he may suffer a momentary moment of angst or frustration, should his mood dictate such. When it comes to tackling challenges, Edrington will analyze the situation carefully, devise a suitable 'plan of attack', and be open to outside guidance and counsel. While sound in theory, he at times suffers from an inability to conjure up plans in the heat of the moment. Furthermore, in allowing himself to remain open to the thoughts and opinions of others, he may muddle his own judgment and further delay a decisive course of action. However, practical field experience has slowly been whittling away at this flaw. He believes himself to be a man of reason and logic, willing to take on criticism and new ideas or methods in the hopes of improving himself and his skills. However, he does draw a line in the sand. Edrington is a firm believer of law, the maintenance of order, and the Holy Light. He understands the necessity to do things that are, at times, not agreeable with most in the name of preserving law and order. Yet, he would not go as far as to trouble or risk his own conscience or morality. In cases such as these, he has been known to excuse what some may find as disagreeable with lines of thinking mired in religious and political ideology. Politically, Edrington holds what some may believe to be far-right, near imperialist ideals. While he does not blindly hate or mistrust the races of the Horde or those that do not pledge allegiance to the Grand Alliance, he does firmly believe in the cause that Stormwind champions and generally respects the factions that fight alongside the kingdom. Even though he may not hold outright malice for what he calls the 'dark-blooded' races (i.e. orcs, trolls, tauren, goblins), he does believe that Stormwind, and the Grand Alliance, carry the burden of "civilizing" Azeroth and enforcing the rule of law wherever needed. Recently in his life, he has sought to find deeper meaning in the purpose of war. Through his findings, Edrington has only managed to further reinforce these nationalistic notions and his role in defending the realm's interests, understanding that he is an agent of both the state and his own free will. He also frequently relies on religious faith to give him strength, finding it a comfort in the heat of battle. When it comes to implementing his faith in matters of warfare, the man has a dynamic and complex understanding of religion's role in politics and war. He does not, by any means, believe in the concept of morality in warfare. Edrington has come to acknowledge that war is not inherently holy, but the driving forces that lead an army towards victory may be divinely inspired. He utilizes the term "heathen" (i.e. shamanism in the Horde or shadow practices) to explain that the foe is not inherently evil, but rather misguided by ignorant apostates that seek to undermine the rightful order of things. In this quasi-religious and political mix of understanding his purpose in the act of killing, he attempts to distance himself from the blatant religious radicalism of orders such as the Scarlet Crusade. This brand of religiously inspired political loyalty is what drives him to rationalize his involvement in war. All in all, Edrington has become a rather hardened, stern fellow in the last few years of his life. Even with his prejudices, he does his best to seek out diplomacy and reason when attempting to solve situations presented before him. However, he has found his own ideology and alignment guiding him down a very different path. The man realizes his own sense are slipping, and now he finds himself fighting against falling prey to blind belief and rage. Misc. Information * He has a deeply crippling phobia of spiders. This is due to an encounter during his childhood inside a cave nearby his family home. Within, he found a large nest of the critters, which then began to swarm around him in a frenzied panic. Edrington is so afraid of them that he refuses to eat or look at anything resembling the beasts. * Edrington is an avid lover of history, and owns a humble private collection of historical works. He can be often found roaming through the halls of book-shops, libraries, and the public sections of the Church's Library when he has some free time to spare. * Ironically, even though Edrington is a soldier in the King's Army, he graduated from university with degrees in economics, civil planning, and architecture. He is also an able mathematician. In a way, however, he is a civil servant – if one may consider a soldier such! * If the man is ever found "after hours", he is known to be rather boisterous and rowdy. He's been quoted with saying that "an honest man has no business after dark, should he wish to retain his good standing among his peers". Although his fundamental character has changed through his experiences, he does actively attempt to portray a much more hardened persona around certain peers. * It is a well kept "secret" of sorts that his mother's side of the family holds the last name "Cockburn" -- a detail Edrington tries to keep quiet. Regrettably, the few people he has told seem to enjoy teasing him about it. * Edrington is comfortably open about his homosexuality, ignoring the prevalent social customs of the realm that frown upon men being unable to produce a blood-born heir for their families. Although casual about his sexuality, it does still surprise him that most are quite welcoming of such a fact. * Due to recent hardships brought upon from his rapid ascent through the ranks, Edrington has had difficulty in coping with these stresses. While he has attempted to find answers in his faith, he has fallen into vice with substances such as opium to help ease the strain. He has now embarked on a new struggle to try and regulate his consumption of the addictive substance. * He is the author of the book The Musket Methodology, a short but comprehensive manual on the art of gunpowder warfare. * He is capable of speaking and writing, to a degree, Orcish and Dwarvish. This is due in part to his experiences as a merchant, and also the fact that he is a reasonably learned individual. Category:Characters Category:Human Category:Lordaeron Human Category:Merchants Category:Soldiers Category:The First Regiment